Partition device capable of receiving power

ABSTRACT

A partition device capable of receiving power from an external power supply unit includes a panel assembly and a power coupling mechanism. The panel assembly includes an electric panel unit. The power coupling mechanism is for coupling electrically the panel assembly to the external power supply unit and includes first and second conducting units coupled electrically to the external power supply unit and the electric panel unit, respectively. The first and second conducting units are capable of establishing contact with each other so as to make electrical connection between the external power supply unit and the electric panel unit.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The invention relates to a partition device, and more particularly to a partition device capable of receiving power.

2. Description of the Related Art

Conventional partition systems are widely disposed in office buildings, restaurants, shopping malls, and public facilities for flexible use to meet different spatial requirements. U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,460,293 and 3,098,519 disclose a partition device including a fixed track and a plurality of partitions movably disposed on the track.

Recently, movable glass partition units have gained popularity. A conventional glass partition unit includes two glass plates clamping a display unit (such as a light emitting diode display) therebetween. The display unit is operable to display information (such as logos, warning signs, etc.). The conventional glass partition unit can thus provide information display in addition to the conventional partitioning function. However, since the display unit needs to be coupled to a power supply unit for operation, and the glass partition unit may be required to move between collapsed and extended positions, if electric wires are used as the power transmission media, a lot of human resources and time may be spent for installation, and the wires may be exposed and have an adverse affect on aesthetic appeal.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a partition device capable of receiving power without the above drawbacks.

According to the present invention, a partition device comprises:

a panel assembly including a first electric panel unit and having a first power terminal connected electrically to the first electric panel unit; and

a power coupling mechanism for coupling electrically the panel assembly to the external power supply unit, the power coupling mechanism including first and second conducting units, one of the first and second conducting units to be coupled electrically to the external power supply unit, the other one of the first and second conducting units being mounted to the first electric panel unit and being coupled electrically to the first power terminal.

One of the first and second conducting units includes a hollow retaining member and a conductor assembly. The conductor assembly includes a conducting pin having an outer end and an inner end opposite to the outer end and connected to a respective one of the first power terminal and the external power supply unit. The conducting pin is movably retained in the retaining member and is movable between a projecting position, where the outer end projects outwardly of the retaining member, and a retracting position, where the outer end is retracted inwardly of the retaining member. The conductor assembly further includes a biasing component for biasing the conducting pin to the projecting position.

The other one of the first and second conducting units is configured to establish contact with and retain the conducting pin at the retracted position so as to make electrical connection between the external power supply unit and the first power terminal.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Other features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent in the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments with reference to the accompanying drawings, of which:

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram showing a first preferred embodiment of the partition device according to the present invention at an inoperative position;

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary perspective view showing a first electric panel unit of the first preferred embodiment;

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary sectional view showing the first electric panel unit of the first preferred embodiment;

FIG. 4 is a sectional view illustrating the first preferred embodiment at an operative position; and

FIG. 5 is a schematic diagram showing a second embodiment of the partition device according to the present invention at the operative position.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, the first preferred embodiment of the partition device according to this invention is shown to be capable of receiving power from an external power supply unit 1. The partition device includes a panel assembly 3 and a power coupling mechanism.

In this embodiment, the panel assembly 3 includes a plurality of electric panel units electrically connected in series, with adjacent ones of the electric panel units hinged to each other. Each electric panel unit includes a panel frame 30 and an electric panel member 33 mounted to the panel frame 30. The electric panel units include a first electric panel 31 and a second electric panel unit 32 respectively disposed at two outermost ends among the electric panel units. The panel assembly 3 further includes a first power terminal 331 connected electrically to the first electric panel unit 31, a second power terminal 332, and a plurality of sleeve units 5. It should be noted that, in other embodiment, the panel assembly may include only one electric panel unit when used as a door. In this invention, the electric panel unit may be an electrochromic glass panel, a light emitting diode (LED) glass panel, etc., and the partition device is movable along a track built on the ceiling or on the floor. The electric panel units may be made of glass or other materials with a transparent effect, and may be respectively installed with a glass door lock for enhancement of stability.

The power coupling mechanism is used for coupling electrically the panel assembly 3 to the external power supply unit 1, and uses first and second conducting structures 2 and 6, which are described in the following content, to make electrical connections in the partition device. The power coupling mechanism includes first, second, third, and fourth conducting units (2A), (6A), (2B), and (6B), and the electric panel units are movable between an inoperative position, where either the first and second conducting units (2A), (6A) or the third and fourth conducting units (2B), (6B) are spaced apart, and an operative position, where the first and second conducting units (2A), (6A), and the third and fourth conducting units (2B), (6B) are in contact with each other. When the partition device is not needed, the partition device can be collapsed toward a wall so as to be at the inoperative position. When the partition device is needed, the partition device can be moved to the operative position along the prebuilt track, as shown by the dashed lines in FIG. 1, so that the electric panel units are powered by the external power supply unit 1. In this embodiment, the first conducting unit (2A) is coupled electrically to the external power supply unit 1, and the second conducting unit (6A) is mounted to the first electric panel unit 31 and is coupled electrically to the first power terminal 331. The third conducting unit (2B) is coupled electrically to the external power supply unit 1, and the fourth conducting unit (6B) is mounted to the second electric panel unit 32 and is coupled electrically to the second power terminal 332.

With reference to FIGS. 2 and 3, in this embodiment, the second conducting structure 6 includes a hollow retaining member 4 that is formed with a receiving space 40 and that is fixed to the panel frame 30, and a conductor assembly 9. The conductor assembly 9 includes a conducting pin 91 having an outer end 911, an inner end 912 opposite to the outer end 911, a pin body 913 that has the outer end 911 and the inner end 912 and that extends within the retaining member 4, and a stop flange 914 that is formed on an outer periphery of the pin body 913 and that is disposed in the receiving space 40. The conducting pin 91 is movably retained in the retaining member 4 and is movable between a projecting position, where the outer end 911 projects outwardly of the retaining member 4, and a retracting position, where the outer end 911 is retracted inwardly of the retaining member 4. In this embodiment, the second conducting unit (6A) and the fourth conducting unit (6B) are configured as the second conducting structure 6. The inner end 912 of the second conducting unit (6A) is connected to the first power terminal 331, and the inner end 912 of the fourth conducting unit (6B) is connected to the second power terminal 332.

In this embodiment, the retaining member 4 has abase 7 and a cover 8. The base 7 includes a base body 71 fixed in the panel frame 30, and a limiting member 72 disposed on the base body 71 and formed with the receiving space 40. The limiting member 72 is formed as two shells 721 connected to each other, and has a ring-shaped base wall 722, a surrounding wall 723 extending from an outer periphery of the base wall 722, a ring-shaped stopping wall 724 connected to the surrounding wall 723, abutting against the base body 71, and clamped between the base body 71 and the cover 8, and a guiding wall 725 extending outwardly from an inner periphery of the stopping wall 724 and passing through the cover 8. The base wall 722, the surrounding wall 723, and the stopping wall 724 cooperate to define the receiving space 40, while the cover 8 is fixed on the base body 71 and abuts against the panel frame 30. The conducting pin 91 movably extends through the limiting member 72 and the cover 8.

The conductor assembly 9 further includes a biasing component 92 disposed between and resiliently abutting against the base wall 71 and the stop flange 914 for biasing the conducting pin 91 to the projecting position. In this embodiment, the biasing component 92 is a spring sleeved on the conducting pin 91 in the receiving space 40 and having opposite ends acting on the stop flange 914 of the conducting pin 91 and the base wall 722 of the retaining member 4, respectively. In this embodiment, the first conducting unit (2A) is configured as the first conducting structure 2 (to be described hereinafter) to establish contact with and retain the conducting pin 91 at the retracted position so as to make electrical connection between the external power supply unit 1 and the first power terminal 331. Referring to FIG. 4, the first conducting structure 2 includes a base plate 21 and a conducting member 22 passing through the base plate 21. The conducting member 22 has a disk-shaped contact plate 221 disposed on a side of the base plate 21 proximate to the adjacent second conducting structure for abutting against the outer end 911 of the conducting pin 91, and a conducting rod 222 extending from the conducting plate 221, passing through and mounted on the base plate 21, and coupled to the external power supply unit 1. The first conducting structure 2 further includes a locking member 23 screwed to the conducting rod 222 and abutting against the base plate 21. In this embodiment, the first conducting unit (2A) and the third conducting unit (2B) are configured as the first conducting structure 2. The first conducting unit (2A) is configured to establish contact with and retain the conducting pin 91 of the second conducting unit (6A) at the retracted position so as to make electrical connection between the external power supply unit 1 and the first power terminal 332, while the third conducting unit (2B) is configured to establish contact with and retain the conducting pin 91 of the fourth conducting unit (6B) at the retracted position so as to make electrical connection between the external power supply unit 1 and the second power terminal 332.

It should be noted the first, second, third, and fourth conducting units (2A), (6A), (2B), (6B) are not limited to be the conducting structures as described in the first preferred embodiment. In other embodiments, each of the first, second, third, and fourth conducting units (2A), (6A), (2B), (6B) may be configured as either one of the first and second conducting structures 2 and 6.

In the first preferred embodiment, the power coupling mechanism further includes a fifth conducting unit (6C) mounted on the first electric panel unit 31 for connecting electrically the first electric panel unit 31 to an adjacent electric panel unit of the panel assembly 3, and a sixth conducting unit (6D) mounted on the second electric panel unit 32 for connecting electrically the second electric panel unit 32 to an adjacent electric panel unit of the panel assembly 3. The fifth and sixth conducting units (6C), (6D) are configured as the second conducting structure 6 in this embodiment. The outer end 911 of the conducting pin 91 of the conductor assembly 9 of the fifth conducting unit (6C) has a concave surface, and the outer end 911 of the conducting pin 91 of the conductor assembly 9 of the sixth conducting unit (6D) has a convex surface corresponding to the concave surface for abutting engagement therewith. In this embodiment, the electric panel units are electrically connected using the same configurations as the fifth and sixth conducting units (6C), (6D). In other embodiments, the fifth and sixth conducting units (6C), (6D) may be configured as the first conducting structure 2.

Referring to FIG. 4, each of a plurality of sleeve units 5 includes a wire tube 51 coupled fittingly to a respective power terminal, a pin tube 52 extending from the wire tube 51, and coupled fittingly to the inner end 912 of a respective conducting pin 91, and an insulating tube 53 removably sleeved on the wire tube 51 and the pin tube 52.

In this embodiment, the covers 8 of the retaining members 4 on an adjacent pair of the electric panel units are hinged together to convert the partition device between collapsed and extended positions.

Referring to FIG. 5, a second preferred embodiment of the partition device according to the present invention is shown to include similar elements as the first preferred embodiment, but the electrical panel units are electrically connected in parallel, so that each electric panel unit includes two panel frames 30 on the uppermost and lowermost sides thereof, respectively. In this embodiment, the fourth conducting unit (6B) is mounted to the panel frame 30 at the lowermost side of the first electric panel unit 31. The fifth conducting unit (6C) is mounted on the uppermost side of the first electric panel unit 31 for connecting electrically the first power terminal 331 to an adjacent electric panel unit, and the sixth conducting unit (6D) is mounted on the lowermost side of the first electric panel unit 31 for connecting electrically the second power terminal 332 to the adjacent electric panel unit.

It should be noted that, in this embodiment, the first to sixth conducting units (2A), (6A), (2B), (6B), (6C), (6D) have the same configurations as those described in the first preferred embodiment. However, in other embodiments, each of the first to sixth conducting units (2A), (6A), (2B), (6B), (6C), (6D) may be either configured as the first conducting structure 2 or the second conducting structure 6 as required.

To sum up, the present invention has the following advantages:

1. The partition device is able to receive power from the external power supply 1 when moved to the operative position without requirement for additional wiring. Moreover, when the partition device is not needed, the partition device is only needed to be collapsed without requiring disassembly of any wiring. The whole process is fast and convenient, and the partition device has a neat appearance because there are no exposed wirings.

2. The contact plate 221 has a large area for abutting against the outer end 911, and the outer end 911 is biased by the biasing component 92, so as to increase the effective contact distance and the effective contact angle, to thereby result in higher tolerance and lower cost.

3. The partition device can be configured using the series connection design or the parallel connection design, so as to enhance flexibility of application.

It should be noted that the partition device according to this invention can be used as a door installed within a door frame that includes the conducting units as described in the embodiments. When the partition device is installed in a department store or a hotel, it can cooperate with an emergency lighting system to be turned on at the same time, and use the electric panel units to indicate the escape routes. Moreover, each of the electric panel units can be separated from the hinge structure to serve as an independent partition.

While the present invention has been described in connection with what are considered the most practical and preferred embodiments, it is understood that this invention is not limited to the disclosed embodiments but is intended to cover various arrangements included within the spirit and scope of the broadest interpretation so as to encompass all such modifications and equivalent arrangements. 

1. A partition device for receiving power from an external power supply unit, comprising: a panel assembly including a first electric panel unit and having a first power terminal connected electrically to said first electric panel unit; and a power coupling mechanism for coupling electrically said panel assembly to the external power supply unit, said power coupling mechanism including first and second conducting units, one of said first and second conducting units to be coupled electrically to the external power supply unit, the other one of said first and second conducting units being mounted to said first electric panel unit and being coupled electrically to said first power terminal; wherein one of said first and second conducting units includes a hollow retaining member and a conductor assembly, said conductor assembly including a conducting pin having an outer end and an inner end opposite to said outer end and connected to a respective one of said first power terminal and the external power supply unit, said conducting pin being movably retained in said retaining member and being movable between a projecting position, where said outer end projects outwardly of said retaining member, and a retracting position, where said outer end is retracted inwardly of said retaining member, said conductor assembly further including a biasing component for biasing said conducting pin to the projecting position; wherein the other one of said first and second conducting units is configured to establish contact with and retain said conducting pin at the retracted position so as to make electrical connection between the external power supply unit and said first power terminal.
 2. The partition device as claimed in claim 1, wherein said first electric panel unit is one of an electrochromic glass panel and a light emitting diode (LED) glass panel.
 3. The partition device as claimed in claim 1, wherein: said panel assembly further has a second power terminal; said power coupling mechanism further including third and fourth conducting units, one of said third and fourth conducting units to be coupled electrically to the external power supply unit, the other one of said third and fourth conducting units being mounted to said panel assembly and being coupled electrically to said second power terminal; wherein one of said third and fourth conducting units has a same configuration as one of said first and second conducting units; wherein the other one of said third and fourth conducting units has a same configuration as the other one of said first and second conducting units; wherein said third and fourth conducting units are configured to establish contact with each other so as to make electrical connection between the external power supply unit and said second power terminal.
 4. The partition device as claimed in claim 3, wherein said panel assembly further includes a second electric panel unit connected electrically to said second power terminal, the other one of said third and fourth conducting units being mounted to said second electric panel unit.
 5. The partition device as claimed in claim 4, wherein said panel assembly includes a plurality of electric panel units, said electric panel units including at least said first and second electric panel units, said power coupling mechanism further including a fifth conducting unit mounted on said first electric panel unit for connecting electrically said first electric panel unit to an adjacent one of said electric panel units of said panel assembly, and a sixth conducting unit mounted on said second electric panel unit for connecting electrically said second electric panel unit to an adjacent one of said electric panel units of said panel assembly.
 6. The partition device as claimed in claim 5, wherein at least one of said fifth and sixth conducting units has a same configuration as one of said first and second conducting units.
 7. The partition device as claimed in claim 6, wherein both of said fifth and sixth conducting units are configured with said hollow retaining member and said conductor assembly.
 8. The partition device as claimed in claim 7, wherein said outer end of said conducting pin of said conductor assembly of one of said fifth and sixth conducting units has a convex surface, and said outer end of said conducting pin of said conductor assembly of the other one of said fifth and sixth conducting units has a concave surface corresponding to said convex surface for abutting engagement therewith.
 9. The partition device as claimed in claim 5, wherein adjacent ones of said electric panel units are hinged together.
 10. The partition device as claimed in claim 3, wherein the other one of said third and fourth conducting units is mounted to said first electric panel unit.
 11. The partition device as claimed in claim 10, wherein said panel assembly includes a plurality of electric panel units, said electric panel units including said first electric panel unit, said power coupling mechanism further including a fifth conducting unit mounted on said first electric panel unit for connecting electrically said first power terminal to an adjacent one of said electric panel units, and a sixth conducting unit mounted on said first electric panel unit for connecting electrically said second power terminal to said adjacent one of said electric panel units.
 12. The partition device as claimed in claim 11, wherein at least one of said fifth and sixth conducting units has a same configuration as one of said first and second conducting units.
 13. The partition device as claimed in claim 12, wherein both of said fifth and sixth conducting units are configured with said hollow retaining member and said conductor assembly.
 14. The partition device as claimed in claim 11, wherein said first electric panel unit and said adjacent one of said electric panel units are hinged together.
 15. The partition device as claimed in claim 1, wherein said retaining member is formed with a receiving space through which said conducting pin extends, and said biasing component is a spring sleeved on said conducting pin in said receiving space and having opposite ends acting on said conducting pin and said retaining member, respectively.
 16. The partition device as claimed in claim 15, wherein said first electric panel unit includes a panel frame and an electric panel member mounted to said panel frame, and said retaining member is fixed to said panel frame.
 17. The partition device as claimed in claim 1, wherein said first electric panel unit is movable between an inoperative position, where said first and second conducting units are spaced apart, and an operative position, where said first and second conducting units are in contact with each other.
 18. The partition device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the other one of said first and second conducting units includes a base plate and a conducting member passing through said base plate, said conducting member having a disk-shaped contact plate disposed on a side of said base plate proximate to the one of said first and second conducting units for abutting against said outer end of said conducting pin, and a conducting rod extending from said conducting plate passing through and mounted on said base plate, and coupled to a respective one of said first power terminal and the external power supply unit.
 19. The partition device as claimed in claim 18, wherein the other one of said first and second conducting units further includes a locking member screwed to said conducting rod and abutting against said base plate. 